The Starborn by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

they gripped the stasis chamber and lifted it, moving toward the surface of Jeskulan.
    The ship with the rapidly decaying remains of the corporation’s men was settled at the edge of the steps to what appeared to be city hall.
    With gravity tugging at the stasis unit, they set it carefully down within the hidden building.
    “How are we going to handle the bomb?” Wia put her hands on her hips and scowled at the shuttle.
    “I am going to take the shuttle, bomb and all, and launch it into the sky, where you will blow the works with a power blast.” Comet smiled. “That is the theory, anyway.”
    She frowned. “For you to get to a safe distance, we will need low orbit.”
    He nodded, tilting his head. “I am just looking for a good place to get a grip.”
    Wia walked around the ship and took a look at the explosive device through the hatch. “I think I can grab it.”
    “You think?”
    “Pretty sure.” She puckered her lips. “Yup. Pretty sure.”
    Before Comet could stop her, she extended her arms and used the same radiation that made her fly to surround the bomb.
    Backing up, she floated the bomb out of the shuttle, and then, she lifted off at a slow and careful pace, keeping the explosive even.
    A harsh chirping got her attention, so she flung the explosive away from the city as hard as she could, and when it hit the apex of its arch, she struck it with a column of power that burned the explosive and casing in one hard rush.
    The shockwave from the explosion knocked her backward, and she went tumbling end over end until she smacked into Comet.
    “That was stupid. Effective, but stupid.”
    He held her tight and gave her a kiss that scorched the soles of her boots. She returned the kiss and sighed. “That was nice. Now, we have to get Kashka down to the Avatar’s chamber before the gel starts to get crusty.”
    He groaned. “More heavy lifting.”
    “I love a man with muscles, and I didn’t mate with you for your mind. It was the whole package I was after, and your package.” She waggled her eyebrows at him.
    He snorted and kissed her again as they resumed their flight to the hidden stronghold. Kashka was going to be the companion to an Avatar and both of them would be in stasis. It was a weird situation but not the oddest thing that Wiali had heard since she was woken to a new Alliance and a new place in it.
    This new phase of her life was by far the most exciting, and she wasn’t even counting working for the Sector Guard.
     

 
     
     
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
     
    The Nedron was on two months of duty guarding Jeskulan while the scientists worked on finding a way to obtain a secure sample of the pathogen.
    Udell base sent a shuttle to collect them. Wiali was worried about Kashka, but the physician promised to monitor the signal from her stasis unit and alert Udell base if there was any problem.
    She still fidgeted the whole way back to the base.
    Guardian stopped them for debriefing, and when Comet told him that Wiali had taken charge of the bomb, a smirk crossed Guardian’s lips.
    “Why am I not surprised?” Guardian was definitely amused.
    Wiali sat back in her chair and raised her eyebrows. “I don’t know. Why aren’t you surprised?”
    “We just got all of your Citadel records. You seem to have a take-charge tendency that will serve you well when Lowel gets up and running.”
    Braenar had his fingers woven with hers. “What about my request?”
    “It has been authorized. You will have fourteen days off, barring a situation that only Comet and Starborn can handle.”
    Wia chuckled. “You have given me a call sign?”
    “Yes. Wiali sounds like too many other words, and it will be glaringly obvious that Comet is Braenar if you are known to be Wiali.”
    She waved his explanations aside. “You just want me to be a Citadel employee working as a Guardsman, just like the others.”
    Guardian shrugged. “It gets both situations more funding, and funding is always a good thing if it comes free